The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-24
READING MEN ON STRIKE
EMPLOYMENT OF NON-UNION MEN
THEIR COMPLAINT.

Running from West Falls to Port
Richmond-Over 500 Men in Idle
ness at the Logan Colliery.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 23.-Over 1000
men employed by the Philadelphia and
Reading Railroad Company on their lines
running from West Falls to the Port Rich
mond coal wharves, either as train men,
coal handlers or freight handlers. quit work
this afternoon at 4:30 o'clock. This action
was caused by the introduction of train
crew of five non-union men to do work
upon which Inion men had been employed,
but who had been discharged. This move
ment will be communicated to all the en-
ployeS of the road, and general strike on
all the lines of the company may be the
result. The trouble originated yesterday,
when a crew of freight handlers, engaged
in shifting cars loaded with -four into a
pier controlled by the firm of Charles NJ.
Taylor's Sons, refused to deliver any more
freight to the firm unless the non-union
laborers employed in handling freight
should be discharged.
THE COMPANY NOTIFIED.
Word was Immediately sent to John
O'Keim, general freight agent and shipping
clerk at the Port Richmond wharveS, who
telegraphed the news of the refusal to the
general Office of the company Upon the
receipt of the telegram Supt. Sweigard is
sued an order discharging the crew who had
refused to handle freight, and threatening
the same punishment to other crews who
would follow the precedent. All of the re-
manning force, which consisted of four
crews, refusing to obey the order,
were discharged and the engines were
taken to the round house and the men left
the yard. The news of the discharge
quickly spread among the other employees
of the company in Port Richmond, and
stevedores to the number of about 600 men
dropped their work and left the yard. The
news of such large number of men quit
ting work soon spread through Port Rich
mond, and committee of Knights of Labor
Assemblies Nos 1921 and 6,2S5, to which
the strikers belonged, called upon General
Manager Mcleod and Snpt. Sweigard with
the purpose of settling the difficulty and
preventing general strike.
THE COMPANY WON'T YIELD.
The object was unsuccessful, however, as
the officers would not listen to any excuses,
claiming that the work had to be done, and
if the present employees found it difficult to
obey orders the management would be COM
pelled TO look elsewhere for help. The Situa-
tion was unchanged this morning and no
freight was delivered to the covered piers
at the foot of Williams street,
nor were the stevedores at work.
The company was determined to operate
their lines, however, and made preparations
to secure crews for idle locomotives, but
were unsuccessful until about / O'Clock,
when aid was secured by forming a mixed
crew of norl-union men at the Third and
Burks street station Trouble with strikers
had been anticipated, however, and the
company requested Director Stokely to fur
nish police protection.
POLICE ORDERED OUT.
Accordingly an order was issued by the
director this morning directing the captains
and lieutenants of the several districts to
mass force of 250 men in three platoons at
tne point of trouble. At 2 o'clock one
platoon was sent to the round house at the
junction of the Philadelphia and Reading
track, and thesPennsylvania railroad track
at Trenton avenue, one to distribute itself
along the line of the railroad running
from the round house to the coal
wharves, and a third to guard the coal
wharves, freight wharves and elevators.
This action in calling for police protection
was greeted with derision and sarcasm by
the men and inhabitants of Port Richmond.
The only cause for alarm was a suspicion
that the non-upion crew would be molested
at their work, but they toiled on uninter
ruptedly and the police made no attempt to
arrest any one.
EVERY MAN GOES OUT.
Engine No 22S, manned by the obnoxious
crew, arrived at the scene of the trouble
about $3.50 o'clock and proceeded at once to
move the boycotted freight. The news of
the renewal of work was quickly communi
Gated among the other men at work, and
concerted action was speedily agreed upon.
An hour was given to allow the employees
ON the road from West Falls to the
river to learn of the determination, and
nf n 1nl nOl yNhn 10
was given, every man stopped
work. The shifting engines that were work
ing ON the coal wharves quickly ran to their
usual resting place until the whole number
Gourteem were placed in one line, and the
crews Immediately drew the fires and blew
out the boilers. The men that were wheel
ing coal dropped their barrow handles, the
switchmen closed their switches and left the
main line open, and the conductors, brake
men and other employees left their work and
quickly went to their homes.
wRAT ONE OF THE LEADERS SAYS
One of the leaders said this afternoon:
THE whole trouble grew out of the fact
that Charles M. Taylor's Sons were EN-
ploying non union men to handle their
freight aud paying them low wages. We
have urged them to employ union men at the
regular pay, which is about 81 a week more
than they are now paving, but they have
3
quest and the refusal to handle their cars
was our only defense. The general strike
was forced upon us by the company, which
employed non-union men to run their trains
regardless of our agreement to the contrary.
The idea of police protection was sympa-
thetic movement, as the company well knew
that there has never been any need of pro-
lection to the property at Port Richmond
during any trouble"
MIR. TAYLoR's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Taylor, of the firm of Charles M.
Iaylor's Sons, who represents the Phila-
delphia Grain Elevator Company, who con-
troll the covered piers used as a freight station
for the Allan line of ocean steamships,
claim that the men whom he had engaged
IN handling freight had been with him since
last August, and that he had re-
Gently raised their pay 81 per
month. The men were more
than satisfied, he alleges, and he had no
trouble in securing help at his price of
wages He intends continuing work with
the same force of men.
General Freight Agent Keim was very
reticent 10 discussing the apparent outcome
OF the strike, and declared that the railroad
company would operate the road if it re-
CURED military surveillance of the property.
trouble is anticipated for several days, and
u is probable that police force will be re-
tanned to protect the property of the COM